This disclosure relates to a media cartridge for a printer. In particular, this disclosure relates to a locking/unlocking mechanism for a cartridge inserted into a printer.
Many printers are designed to receive cartridges that provide a length of media for printing. These media cartridges are often constructed so that a leading end of the media is pre-positioned for insertion between the components of the printing mechanism (e.g., the print head and platen roller) during the loading of the cartridge into the printer. This type of positioning of the media during the loading of the cartridge is generally preferable to, for example, requiring a user to manually thread an end of the media between the printing components in a cartridge-less style of construction.
Even with this pre-positioning of the media, it is possible that during loading of the cartridge something may go wrong. Typically, as the cartridge is loaded into a cartridge receptacle of the printer, the leading end of the media is blindly inserted between the printing components in a direction perpendicular to the print feed direction. Accordingly, there is the possibility that the media and/or an ink ribbon that runs parallel to the media will snag on a printer component. If either the media or the ink ribbon catch on one of the printer components, then the media or the ink ribbon may be damaged, torn, or crumpled. Ultimately, this may degrade print quality, jam the feeding of the media or the ribbon, or, even worse, damage the printer.
Hence, a need exists for an improved media cartridge. In particular, there is a need for a media cartridge with improved protection of the ink ribbon and media.